Shloka 2

Brahma-dhyāna: From Purification to Samādhi

Meditation on Brahman and Viṣṇu

Devanagari script

यच्छेद्वाङ्मनसं प्राज्ञस्तं यजेज्ज्ञानमात्मनि / ज्ञानं महति संयच्छेद्य इच्छेज्ज्ञानमात्मानि

Transliteration

yacchedvāṅmanasaṃ prājñastaṃ yajejjñānamātmani / jñānaṃ mahati saṃyacchedya icchejjñānamātmāni

Translation

The wise should restrain speech and mind, and worship that inner knowledge within the Self. Let him merge that knowledge into the Great (the Supreme Reality), and seek knowledge established in the Self.

Word by Word

• yacchet: should restrain
• yacchet: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yam (धातु)
• Form: Liṅ (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana; parasmaipada; √yam = restrain

• vāk: speech
• vāk: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāc (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Prathamā (1st/Nominative), Ekavacana; (in compound with manas as dvandva sense)

• manasam: mind
• manasam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd/Accusative), Ekavacana; with vāk as coordinated object: “speech and mind”

• prājñaḥ: the wise person
• prājñaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prājña (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st/Nominative), Ekavacana

• tam: that
• tam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga/Napुंसaka, Dvitīyā (2nd/Accusative), Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun referring to jñānam

• yajet: should offer/sacrifice
• yajet: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yaj (धातु)
• Form: Liṅ (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• jñānam: knowledge
• jñānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd/Accusative), Ekavacana

• ātmani: in the Self
• ātmani: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (7th/Locative), Ekavacana

• jñānam: knowledge
• jñānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd/Accusative), Ekavacana (object of saṃyacchet)

• mahati: in the Great (Mahat)
• mahati: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Saptamī (7th/Locative), Ekavacana; “in the great (principle)”

• saṃyacchet: should restrain/collect
• saṃyacchet: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + yam (धातु)
• Form: Liṅ (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (1st/Nominative), Ekavacana; relative pronoun

• icchet: should desire
• icchet: Kriyā (Main verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु)
• Form: Liṅ (Optative/विधिलिङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• jñānam: knowledge
• jñānam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (2nd/Accusative), Ekavacana

• ātmani: in the Self
• ātmani: Adhikaraṇa (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Saptamī (7th/Locative), Ekavacana (some recensions read ātmani/ātmāni; taken as locative singular)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Restrain vāk and manas; worship inner jñāna in the Self; merge jñāna into Mahat (Supreme Reality) and seek Self-established knowledge.

Vedantic Theme: Antar-yāga and nididhyāsana: withdrawal (śama/dama) leading to jñāna-niṣṭhā; movement from mental knowledge to Brahman-abidance.

Application: Practice measured speech (mauna periods), mindfulness of thought-stream, and daily contemplation ‘I am the witnessing Self’; let conceptual knowledge dissolve into silent awareness.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.44 (sequence): preparation for Brahman-dhyana through restraint and inner worship

FAQs

What is the importance of controlling speech and mind in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats restraint of speech and mind as the foundation for inner worship—turning attention inward so knowledge can arise and stabilize in the Self.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul toward liberation (moksha)?

It outlines an inward ascent: first discipline (speech and mind), then abiding in self-knowledge, and finally merging that knowledge into the Great Reality (Brahman), which is a moksha-oriented trajectory.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Practice mindful speech, reduce mental distraction, and cultivate daily self-inquiry/meditation so that knowledge becomes experiential rather than merely intellectual.